Hurley Hits Long Shot With Songandaprayer

Taking full advantage of an unpressured lead and a poor start by favored Outofthebox, Songandaprayer scored an 18-1 upset in the $200,000 Fountain Of Youth on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

A $1 million purchase owned in part by former Duke University basketball star Bobby Hurley, Songandaprayer won for the third time in four starts, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 2/5 under jockey Edgar Prado.

Trained by John Dowd, the 3-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song earned himself a start in the $1 million Florida Derby on March 10, but anybody who saw the Grade I Fountain Of Youth knew who the best horse was.

Outofthebox, looking for his fourth victory in seven starts and second in a row at Gulfstream, popped the gate open just before the start, then was off very slowly in the field of 11.

Given the ground he spotted at the start, the son of Montbrook did well to finish second as the 5-2 choice under Jerry Bailey, 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner and three-quarters of a length in front of City Zip, the 4-1 second choice.

After winning sprints in New Jersey and New York, Songandaprayer tried two turns for the first time in last month’s Holy Bull and weakened to fifth after pressing a quick pace.

On Saturday, Songandaprayer was able to open up 1 1/2 lengths after a 23 4/5 first quarter, extended his advantage to four after half a mile in 46 4/5, maintained a 2 1/2-length lead after six furlongs in 1:10 4/5 and was never seriously challenged in the stretch.

Hurley, who races as Devil Eleven Stable--in honor of Duke and his number at the ACC school--said he experienced laryngitis briefly en route to the winner’s circle.

“I was screaming so much when they were coming down the stretch that I lost my voice for a while,” he said. “It’s really a thrill to win this race. It really makes up for the last one. We were very disappointed when he ran the way he did because we knew he was a much better horse than that.

“I let John do the training. He’s the trainer and I’m the general manager. We’ll see how he comes out of the race and if everything’s OK, we’ll run him back in the Florida Derby.”

Although many would disagree, Dowd thinks the extra sixteenth of a mile won’t be a problem for Songandaprayer.

“The Florida Derby has been our objective all along, ever since we came down here,” the trainer said. “The way he finished today I don’t think he’ll have any trouble getting the longer distance.”

Global Gait, who was making his first start for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Bob and Beverly Lewis after being purchased for a figure said to be in the vicinity of $600,000, was a no-excuse fourth. Running for the first time since winning his third in a row at Laurel on Dec. 26, the Concern colt advanced to second around the turn, but faltered late and wound up nearly eight lengths behind the winner under jockey Corey Nakatani.

Horse Racing Notes

Making his first start since finishing last in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last Nov. 4, A P Valentine was a distant third in a seven-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park. The winner was Hero’s Tribute, a son of Sea Hero who had been idle since finishing second in the Grade III Iroquois on Breeders’ Cup Day. Trainer Nick Zito indicated A P Valentine, who is owned by Michael Tabor and Rick Pitino, could surface in the Florida Derby. . . . Strike It Smart, a promising 3-year-old based in Louisiana, won his second in a row at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. He could run back in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby on March 11, along with Hero’s Tribute. . . . Prized Stamp, a 17-1 shot, rallied from last to win the $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel. Nany’s Sweep, the 9-10 favorite who had won the Santa Monica Handicap last month at Santa Anita, was fourth in the field of six.